Jeremy Lin, Tyreke Evans Among Top Pick-Ups

In light of recent events in the basketball world, I'd like to dedicate a short post to a few players I think are must-adds if you can grab them.  I'll cut to the chase.

Jeremy Lin

I'm a Rockets fan, and I wasn't a believer in Jeremy Lin.  I didn't think he was worth his contract, to say the least.  I didn't think he could be the point guard they needed to become a championship team, and maybe I still don't.  Either way, though, if there was any one player I could add right now, it's Lin.  He's showed his sparks of brilliance and his diversity.  He hit nine three-points in a single game, he's changed his shot a bit, can still pass the ball, and has proved to be a pretty efficient point guard.  He's averaging 14.3 points, 4.2 assists, 2.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game this season, and he's come off the bench in over half of the games.  The reason he is officially a must-have is because of injuries.  Patrick Beverley, the current starting point guard for the Rockets, has just been ruled out for the next 4-6 weeks, and Harden has a high-ankle sprain, which could prove to be a lingering injury.  To top it all off, Parsons is having lingering back spasms.  Not that Lin could replace Harden and Parsons, but long story short, Houston will need offense and production, and Howard won't get all the attention.  Lin, too, is coming off an injury, so be weary, but I picked him up, and I recommend it.  I actually think this might be the break he needs to get Houston's starting point guard gig back.

Tyreke Evans

Tyreke Evans.  A 6'6" point guard that produces in every category?  Yes, please.  Many fantasy owners were displeased with their drafting of Tyreke at the beginning of the year due to his lack of production.  Obviously, it's not easy sharing a point guard slot with Jrue Holiday.  Now Evans has been getting his share of the point guard position, but he's getting some shooting guard playing time, too.  Whatever it takes for this guy to be on the court is fine with me.  He's averaging 12 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.3 assists per game this season.  His points are slightly lower than last year; the guy's only getting 24.8 minutes per game this season.  It's a crime.  He's actually producing better this year than he did last year in 6 less minutes per game.  Following a triple-double against the now 20-9 Clippers (11 pts, 13 rbs, 10 ast), Evans posted another strong stat line against the now 23-5 Trailblazers, putting up 21 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 steals.  He's a good pick up under any circumstances, but if anything at all happens to Jrue Holiday, Evans is in for far more than just a 24 MPG role.  Grab him while you can.

Larry Sanders

I won't go in too much depth about him.  First things first, to clear the air, his injury was to his thumb.  His legs, shoulders, knees, they're all fine.  It was a thumb injury.  I've already talked about him a bit, but I can't get over the fact that nobody is talking about this guy.  2nd in blocks per game and 12th in rebounds per game last season, Sanders averaged 9.8 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks per game in only 27 minutes per game last year.  One more advantage is that his free throw percentage is above that of Dwight Howard or DeAndre Jordan, so that's not going to kill you if your league also is based on efficiency.  He's cleared for basketball activities and already working out at the Bucks' facility.  Like I said, his injury was to his thumb, so expect him to produce just as well if not better this year on a struggling Milwaukee team.  

Giannis Antetokounmpo

I'm not going to say I'm an expert on the guy or even that I know much about him.  That being said, if you're willing to take a gamble, as the Milwaukee Bucks are, take a chance and pick him up.  Worst case scenario, he's unproductive and you drop him three games later.  Best case scenario, he immediately becomes a double-double monster.  I'm thinking somewhere in between.  He's the youngest player in the NBA.  He's over 6'10", has a 7'3" wingspan, and he plays on the wing.  We're looking at a guy who could be comparable to Kevin Durant one day.  He's got the body type of Durant, athleticism, a decent-looking and work-in-progress jumpshot, can hit the three, chases down defenders... I mean he's destined for something one day.  I'm just not sure when.  It could be in his rookie year or in 2016, but if you want to take a chance, pick him up if you can.

Other Pick-Ups

Nick Young, Wesley Johnson, Danny Granger, Nene, and Greivis Vasquez

Best of luck in Week 9 and happy holidays!

Instant Trade Advice

I've seen a lot of people are asking for help when it comes to trades: who to trade, for who, and what makes sense.  If anybody would like my opinion on acquiring a certain player, just let me know your roster, who you want, and the roster of the team you are trading with and I'll put together a few scenarios for you!

5 Tips for Trading Players in Fantasy Basketball

How do you know what a good trade looks like in fantasy basketball?

For the majority of trades, there is one person who is benefiting and one person who is getting the short end of the stick.  Even though both parties think the trade may be fair, it's not for one of them.  For instance, about two weeks ago, James Harden was slacking, and my friend got tired of his nonexistent first-round production.  Knowing I was a Rockets fan, he came to me first.  I told him I'd give David Lee for Harden, straight up, and he almost accepted.  He wanted to see what else he could get, so it ended up becoming a 3-for-3 trade, sending Kyle Lowry, DeMar DeRozan and David Lee to him in exchange for James Harden, Samuel Dalembert, and DeJuan Blair.  I immediately dropped the latter two.  So here I am, sending three real good players in exchange for one player who has been struggling and two players who I just dropped, because to me, Russell Westbrook, James Harden, and LeBron James are a power trio and I could pick up two guys on waivers who were producing better than Blair and Dalembert.  So now you're wondering where I'm headed with this, and basically, I'm just going to give a few pointers on trade advice for fantasy basketball.

1. Never buy high.  Don't try to trade for a player when they're hot.  If they never cool down, chances are their owner won't trade them anyway, and you'd be getting taken advantage of if you came to an agreement.  For instance, don't try to trade for Westbrook now that he's almost hit a triple double in his last five straight games, but instead, wait for Westbrook to 4-22 from the field with 2 assists and 5 rebounds with 7 turnovers before you make an offer.  Obviously, this kind of performance is rare and this is an extreme example, but you catch my drift.

2. Multi-Player deals are the key. You'll never get the better deal on a one-for-one trade.  It just won't happen.  Nobody is going to give up their precious star for somebody who is producing worse than your target.  That's why you have to convince them with other players.  So, for instance, you want Steph Curry, and you want to trade John Wall for him.  Needless to say, nobody will part with Curry in that deal unless they're a die-hard Wizards fan, which is unlikely.  So take Curry and your friend's two worst players and offer up Wall and two guys you picked up off waivers that have had a few good games recently, and maybe he'll take a look and say, "Well Curry is better than Wall, but just by a little, and these two guys haven't been producing well for me, so sure, why not."  Now I'm not saying this works like a charm, but try it.  It's a lot more efficient than asking a one-for-one.

3. Know who's injured or sitting out.  Occasionally, players get injured and sit out for a few weeks, giving huge boosts to other players.  Let's take Andrea Bargnani for example.  Bargnani was barely doing anything, and then Chandler gets injured and Bargnani's minutes go up -> he becomes productive.  However, when Chandler comes back, Bargnani will become irrelevant.  When you piece Chandler's return with the resurgence of Amar'e Stoudemire, you don't want Bargnani on your team.  However, right now he's averaging 15 points and 5 rebounds in 31 minutes of action, a good bargaining chip for a big trade.  Throw him in the mix, and people will see his current production and may go for it.  He's currently the 23rd ranked power forward in the NBA (according to ESPN), but he won't be for long.  So pay attention to things like that.

4. Look at minutes.  As simple as it may sound, a player needs to be on the court to produce.  If he's not getting minutes, he won't bring you what he could.  Among the top 10 fantasy producers, they average 35 minutes per game.  You need those kinds of minutes in order to reach potential, and there's no point in having someone on your team who won't reach that potential.  Don't ever trade for somebody averaging less than 30 minutes per game.  That means they're either splitting the time with another player in that position, or they're coming off the bench, neither of which you want.

5. Consider the number of possessions.  When you watch a game, who is the offense run through?  Let's take the most extreme example in Carmelo Anthony.  He leads the league in shot attempts per game at 20.8, but he touches the ball on every possession.  In addition to his 39 minutes, he's a part of every offensive play during those minutes.  If he's a part of that play, then that's a much higher chance he will either score or get an assist on it.  Even better is LeBron.  What makes him so valuable is that he's a good passer and commands the ball on every play.  When was the last time you watched a Heat game where LeBron didn't touch the ball on a play?  Exactly.  Steph Curry, Chris Paul, and Luol Deng are prime players who control the possessions.  Let's look on the flip side.  Harrison Barnes and Corey Brewer average over 34 minutes per game each, yet average less than a lot of players on waivers. Why, if they're getting so much playing time?  In Barnes's case, on the Warriors, there are players like Steph Curry and Klay Thompson that the offense goes through every time.  You know that during the possession, Steph will have the ball.  Barnes, on the other hand, won't the majority of the time.  Much similar to Barnes, in Brewer's case on the Timberwolves, his ceiling is limited because of Ricky Rubio and Kevin Love.  Rubio runs the offense and it will touch Love 80% of the time.  So don't just focus on minutes, but watch a game and see how the offense works.

I hope this helps everyone out and you can get some bargains on some top players.

Fantasy Basketball – Early Pick-ups and Who to Watch

This NBA season has been full of injuries.  Stars are returning while other ones are leaving.  I think the entire basketball world would agree that above all of those is the injury to Derrick Rose.  Losing an entire season to an ACL tear, just to return, play 10 games and suffer a torn meniscus in his other knee.  Fantasy owners most likely drafted him either with their first round pick or early second round pick, and rightfully so.  Heck, I considered drawing up a trade sending LeBron in return for Rose.  Thankfully, I wasn’t too rash that early in the season.  But aside from the loss of the injured MVP, the NBA has seen Andre Iguodala, Jimmy Butler, Tyson Chandler, Dwyane Wade, and Deron Williams go down and take time off.  We’ve blinked an eye at Kobe, and we’ve yet to see Rajon Rondo.  And that is exactly where I begin.  

Rajon Rondo is only owned in 92% of ESPN leagues.  That’s just ridiculous.  Rondo should be owned in any format, on any team, even in a four-team league.  He’s the kind of guy that produces in almost every category, and well.  If he’s available, grab him now.  Take a break from reading this and check now.  

Players to Sell High:

1. Andrea Bargnani – Bargnani is doing well for himself this season in Tyson Chandler’s absence.  In Tyson Chandler’s absence.  Chandler should be returning in a few weeks here if not sooner, and when he does, Bargnani will lose all fantasy relevance.  He will return to his sub-par averages when that happens, so get rid of him before that happens.

2. Lance Stephenson – If somebody will buy high for this guy, take the offer, assuming it’s reasonable.  Stephenson has posted two triple-doubles this season already.  Coach Frank Vogel trusts him more, and rightfully so.  However, it’s unrealistic to think Stephenson can keep up that elite level of play the entire season, especially with Paul George and George Hill dominating possessions.  When Danny Granger returns, it will be even harder for Stephenson to get touches.  The Pacers may choose to start George at the shooting guard and Granger at the small forward when this happens, making Stephenson your best bench player.  While it is something to keep an eye on, there are better options out there than Stephenson coming off the bench.

Players to Pick Up:

1. Jimmy Butler – Undoubtedly, grab this kid.  I guarantee he’s a better option than at least a few guys on any team.  Butler will produce in every category.  Butler went down while Rose was still playing, and now that he’s gone, Luol Deng is the heart and soul of the Bulls, and rightfully so… but he can’t do it on his own.  Deng is the only source of offense for a defensive Bulls team, and Jimmy Butler can provide that spark they so desperately need.  Boozer is on the decline, and Taj Gibson is on the rise.  Either way, both power forwards are inconsistent, but Jimmy Butler isn’t.  Even though he may be a smaller option at the 2- or 3-guard, he will be grabbing boards that these big men should be getting because of his hustle.  Bottom line, pick him up.

2. Jeremy Evans – Many people don’t know much about the Utah small forward, but when you look at the statistics, it’s almost a gimme.  Gordon Hayward is the first, second, and third option on a 4-19 Jazz team, and Evans is coming up.  Tyrone Corbin has been putting more faith in Evans over the past few games/weeks, and there’s no reason not to.  If you’re not buying it yet, keep an eye on him, but if someone picks him up while you’re watching, just know I told you so.

3. Omer Asik – The big guy is owned in only 38% of ESPN leagues, and understandable.  He’s getting stuck behind a center like Dwight Howard and benched to Kentucky Wildcat Terrence Jones (pick him up if he’s available) and averaging a mere 18 MPG.  Last season, he averaged about 10 PPG, 12 RPG, and a block in 30 MPG.  Anywhere he gets traded, he will be worthy of 28-36 MPG, and giving you fantasy value in the meantime.

Other names to look for, although you might not find them, are absolute pick-ups in any 8-team or larger rotation: Kyle Korver, Terrence Jones, Amir Johnson (Rudy Gay is gone ladies and gents), Tyreke Evans, Shawn Marion, and Channing Frye.

Do what it takes to trade for Kobe if you can, still being sensible.  He’s going to a monster on a team where there is little else.  James Harden is a great trade option right now, but your window is closing.  He didn’t start the season too strongly, but he’s found his game.  Buy low for him today, and see if you can snag him.  Same with Westbrook.  People might be more inclined to keep him, but he’s been iffy, to say the least.  Trade for him if you can.  

I wish you all the best of luck in Week 8 in the world of fantasy basketball.

http://fantasyforums.wordpress.com/2013/12/10/fantasy-basketball-early-pick-ups-and-who-to-watch/

Terrence Jones, Houston Rockets PF

On ESPN and sports headlines, I keep seeing the question, “What’s holding Dwight Howard back?”  Only to be followed with statistics about Howard’s back-to-the-basket game versus his pick-and-roll game.  Howard is three times more efficient at the pick-and-roll game than he is with his back to the basket, but they run six times the number of back-to-the-basket plays as they do pick-and-roll?  Kevin McHale says he’s trying to implement Dwight in the post more, and that’s why he’s not as productive.  I have a different theory.  His name is Terrence Jones.

Over the past two weeks, here is Jones’ stat line: 11 PPG, 9 RPG, 1.9 BPG on 9.6 attempted field goals with just 1.3 turnovers per game in 27 minutes.  Let’s compare these to good ol’ Dwight: 15.4 PPG, 13.3 RPG, .7 BPG, on 9.3 attempted field goals with a whopping 3 turnovers per game in 31 minutes.  The difference in the point totals?  Free throws.  Jones goes to line twice a game as opposed to Howard going to the line over 9 times a game.  Now don’t get me wrong here, by no means am I saying that Terrence is better than Dwight, but you’ve got to at least take note of it.  In Orlando, Dwight’s power forward was Ryan Anderson, a guy who loves to hang around the 3-point line and who, for his career, averages around 5 RPG.  Once he moved to L.A., his rebounding averages dropped to 12.4 per game, and everyone made a huge fuss about his efficiency.  Needless to say, 12.4 RPG is a great statistic, and his 13.3 RPG is second in the NBA.  So his rebounding isn’t the problem.  However, if Terrence Jones wasn’t at power forward or if anybody else was at power forward, I could see Dwight up around 15-16 RPG, so there’s one limit.  Also, Terrence Jones has actually been getting more shots off than Howard and been quite efficient.  So while everyone is looking at Howard down low, don’t forget that over the past month Jones is getting just as many shots up as Dwight, and in less minutes.

So why should I pick up Terrence Jones if Dwight Howard is the dominant center on the Rockets?

Here’s why, in short.  Jones can score the ball, and more importantly, he can finish around the rim.  Off the pick-and-roll, face up, back-to-the-basket, anywhere, and he can shoot the three.  He’s averaging about one three a game this season, which is great from a big man.  Dwight Howard attracts so much attention down low and on the pick-and-roll that it opens up opportunities for everyone, especially Jones.  He gets more shots and better shots because so much focus is on Howard.  Terrence Jones can flat out play defense, too.  He can guard his man straight up and play help side defense, and is a strong shot-changer and shot-blocker at the power forward position.  Last but not least, he plays efficiently.  He’s shooting over 50% from the field this year and loses only one possession a game to turnovers.  Pick this guy up if you can.

I’ve said since the beginning of the 2012-2013 NBA season that the Houston Rockets are a power forward away from a championship, and in my opinion, they’ve found him.

http://fantasyforums.wordpress.com/2013/12/11/terrence-jones-rockets-pf/